[LC] The Fall of the House of UsherBy Edgar Allan Poe Shaking off what must have been a dream, I scanned more narrowly the real aspect of the building. Its principal feature seemed to be that of an excessive antiquity. The discoloration of ages had been great. Minute fungi overspread the whole exterior, hanging in a fine tangled web-work from the eaves. Yet all this was apart from any extraordinary dilapidation. No portion of the masonry had fallen; and there appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect adaptation of parts, and the crumbling condition of the individual stones. In this there was much that reminded me of the specious totality of old wood-work which has rotted for long years in some neglected vault, with no disturbance from the breath of the external air. Beyond this indication of extensive decay, however, the fabric gave little token of instability. Perhaps the eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn. Roderick Usher’s poemBy Edgar Allan Poe In the greenest of our valleys, By good angels tenanted,Once a fair and stately palace— Radiant palace—reared its head.In the monarch Thought’s dominion— It stood there!Never seraph spread a pinion Over fabric half so fair. Banners yellow, glorious, golden, On its roof did float and flow;(This—all this—was in the olden Time long ago);And every gentle air that dallied, In that sweet day,Along the ramparts plumed and pallid,A winged odor went away.           … And, round about his home, the glory That blushed and bloomedIs but a dim-remembered story Of the old time entombed. And travellers now within that valley, Through the red-litten windows seeVast forms that move fantastically To a discordant melody;While, like a rapid ghastly river, Through the pale door,A hideous throng rush out forever, And laugh—but smile no more. What is a key difference between these pieces of literature? (5 points)

 [LC] Read the sentence below and answer the following question; Suni has an amazing aptitude for language: at only 14 he already knows three languages.What does aptitude mean? (5 points)

 [MC] Which word correctly completes the sentence below? These French history lessons have a rather __________ effect on me; I keep nodding off and sleeping through major periods. (5 points)

 [MC] Roderick Usher’s poemBy Edgar Allan Poe In the greenest of our valleys,  By good angels tenanted,Once a fair and stately palace—  Radiant palace—reared its head.In the monarch Thought’s dominion—  It stood there!Never seraph spread a pinion  Over fabric half so fair. Banners yellow, glorious, golden,  On its roof did float and flow;(This—all this—was in the olden  Time long ago);And every gentle air that dallied,   In that sweet day,Along the ramparts plumed and pallid,A winged odor went away. Wanderers in that happy valley  Through two luminous windows sawFigures moving musically  To a lute’s well-tun´d law;Round about a throne, where sitting  (Porphyrogene!)In state his glory well befitting,  The ruler of the realm was seen. Read this excerpt from Roderick Usher’s poem: Wanderers in that happy valley  Through two luminous windows sawFigures moving musically  To a lute’s well-tun´d law What is the most likely explanation for what law means in this line? (5 points)

[Honors Seg 2, 04, 05, 06 MC]  “The Englishmen did not die in Malaya or on Burma soil. What shall enable us to retrieve the situation? Where shall I go, and where shall I take the forty millions of India? How is this vast mass of humanity to be aglow in the cause of world deliverance, unless and until it has touched and felt freedom. Today they have no touch of life left. It has been crushed out of them. It luster is to be put into their eyes, freedom has to come not tomorrow, but today.” Identify and explain Mahatma Gandhi’s use of connotation and diction to create a formal or informal writing style in this passage from his Quit India speeches of 1942, citing specific examples from the text. (20 points)

 [LC] Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Infamy SpeechDecember 8, 1941 “Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu. Read this line from the text: Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. What is the most likely meaning of the word “infamy,” based on your reading of this text? (5 points)

 [MC] Which word correctly completes the sentence below? Because of the fallen tree, the gas leak, and the mouse invasion, this house is not actually __________. (5 points)

 [LC] The Fall of the House of UsherBy Edgar Allan Poe Shaking off what must have been a dream, I scanned more narrowly the real aspect of the building. Its principal feature seemed to be that of an excessive antiquity. The discoloration of ages had been great. Minute fungi overspread the whole exterior, hanging in a fine tangled web-work from the eaves. Yet all this was apart from any extraordinary dilapidation. No portion of the masonry had fallen; and there appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect adaptation of parts, and the crumbling condition of the individual stones. In this there was much that reminded me of the specious totality of old wood-work which has rotted for long years in some neglected vault, with no disturbance from the breath of the external air. Beyond this indication of extensive decay, however, the fabric gave little token of instability. Perhaps the eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn. Read this line from The Fall of the House of Usher: Perhaps the eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn. What does the narrator describe in this line? (5 points)

 [MC] Which word correctly completes the sentence below? (5 points) Because of the fallen tree, the gas leak, and the mouse invasion, this house is not actually __________.

 [LC] The Fall of the House of UsherBy Edgar Allan Poe Shaking off what must have been a dream, I scanned more narrowly the real aspect of the building. Its principal feature seemed to be that of an excessive antiquity. The discoloration of ages had been great. Minute fungi overspread the whole exterior, hanging in a fine tangled web-work from the eaves. Yet all this was apart from any extraordinary dilapidation. No portion of the masonry had fallen; and there appeared to be a wild inconsistency between its still perfect adaptation of parts, and the crumbling condition of the individual stones. In this there was much that reminded me of the specious totality of old wood-work which has rotted for long years in some neglected vault, with no disturbance from the breath of the external air. Beyond this indication of extensive decay, however, the fabric gave little token of instability. Perhaps the eye of a scrutinizing observer might have discovered a barely perceptible fissure, which, extending from the roof of the building in front, made its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it became lost in the sullen waters of the tarn. Read these lines from Fall of the House of Usher: I scanned more narrowly the real aspect of the building. What action does the narrator describe in this line? (5 points)